Domestic water-heating apparatus



Jan. 21, 1930. M. l. BAILEIY- ET AL DOMESTIC WATER HEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 10, 1927 INVENTORS mrmwmw ISA/mm MLLIAMBI/Rms PER [W Z ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATTHEW ISAAC BAILEY AND WILLIAM BURGESS, F CROSS KEYS, NEAR NEWPORT.

SOUTH WALES DOMESTIC WATEE-HEATING APPARATUS Application filed September 10, 1527, Serial No. 218,757, and in Great Britain May 3, 1927.

Our invention relates to improvements in domestic water heating apparatus and has for its object to provide a simple construction and form of boiler incorporated in the grate of a kitchen or other domestic flre may be connected directly to a water tank supplied from the main and having means for admitting fresh water from the main as the hot water is drawn off.

According to this invention the boiler is connected by piping to a source of supply and to a tank adapted to receive water from the boiler and accommodating a float connected to means for opening and closing a cock in the pipe leading from the supply main to the boiler so as to maintain a level of hot water in the tank above the point of discharge in the said tank.

The tank serves as a water supply tank for the house. A single water pipe leads from the domestic boiler preferably near its top, to the water tank at or near the bottom thereof. The boiler is also connected to a pipe leading from the main water supply through a valve controlled by a float situated in the main water tank. A suitable vent is provided between this pipe and the upper portion of the water tank so as to obviate air or steam blocks. An overflow is provided near the top of the tank and a service draw-off pipe is led out of the tank at a suitable position which may conveniently be at or below the centre thereof.

The water tank may conveniently be of c lindrical form arranged vertically and provided. with a suitable float in the form of a hollow metal ball located therein and secured to the end of a vertical rod projecting through a guide in the upper end of the tank. This rod is connected by suitable link or other mechanism with a valve located in the main water supply pipe so that when the water in the tank rises to a predetermined height this cock will be closed so as to cut off further supply. When however, water is drawn oil. from the main tank the ball valve will fall as the level of the tank is lowered. This will open the main cock and permit Water to be supplied directly to the boiler arrangement whereby the usual from whence it will flow into the tank and in due course raise the level. So long as water continues to be drawn off from the tank a corresponding amount of water will enter through the boiler from the main supply. When water is no longer being drawn off from the service pipe the level in the tank will rise until the ball causes the cock in the main supply pipe to be again closed. A suitable vent may be provided in the main tank to permit the escape of steam or this may be arranged to pass out through the overflow pipe.

A convenient arrangement for connecting the float with the control cock on the main supply pipe consists in providing this cock with a lever arm having a lateral projecting pin which engages in a transverse slot or eye formed near the upper end of the rod to which the float is connected. This will cause the lever to be moved so as to turn the cock to the open or closed position according to the level of the water in the tank.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we have appended hereto a drawing some what dia rammaticall 7 illustratin an em 23 D bodiment of same.

Referring to the drawing, the boiler is indicated by the reference numeral 1, and leading into it adjacent its base is a pipe 2 oonnected to the supply main. Communicating with the upper part of the boiler is a pipe 3 leading to a tank 4-, and is preferably connected to such tank a distance above the base of the tank as shown. lVater flowing from the main will enter the boiler 1 and will. flow as hot water into the tank 4 from which it can be drawn off via a pipe 5 as desired. A vent pipe 6 connecting the upper end of the tank 4 to the-pipe 2 obviates air or steam locks in the system. A good circulation of water from the boiler to the tank can be ensured by providing a connection 7 between the pipe 2 and the tank 4, the connection to the tank preferably being adjacent the base of the tank as shown. An overflow pipe 8 in the top part of the tank relieves the tank 4 from excessive pressure due to steam or vapour which may accumulate in the top of the tank and obviates leakage through the packing of the cover plate or inspection cover 9, which is preferably secured by bolts 10 and wing nuts 11 to facilitate removal.

In order to maintain a somewhat constant reserve or supply of hot water in the tank 4, a float 12 is provided in the tank and carried by a rod 13 which is free to slide through a guide 14 secured in the cover plate 9 and preferably provided with suitable packing. The float rises and falls with the level of liquid in the tank 1, and determines whether or not the boiler 1 shall be connected to the supply main, this being effected by the opening and closing of a cock 15 in the pipe 2, the cock 15 being fully open when the float 12 falls to a predetermined low level, for instance just above the service pipe 5, and the cock being closed when the float 12 is carried by the water to a predetermined maximum level position. For this purpose the control. cock 15 can be of the rotary plug or valve type, the rotary plug or valve having a radial lever 16 having its free end 17 engaging in an eye 18 in the upper end of the rod 13.

Water heating apparatus according to our invention is very economical to install and serves the dual purpose of an ordinary water Supply whilst providing means for a hot water service when required. If desired existing cold water services may be converted or adapted to operate according to our invention or if desired a simple hot water service may be employed independently of the already existing cold water system.

In a domestic water heating apparatus, a. reserve tank, a cover plate thereto, a vertical guide mounted on and passing through said cover plate, a vertical rod slidable in said vertical guide, a float on the lower end of said rod, a boiler, a cold water supply pipe to the boiler and located externally of said reserve tank, a valve in said pipe, operative connections, between the upper end of said rod and the valve, and a connecting pipe between the boiler and the tank.

MATTHEWV ISAAC BAILEY. WILLIAM BURGESS. 

